Daniel Naroditsky' Tragic Final Moments: How Pals Tried to Save Him Hours Before His Death

The final hours of Daniel Naroditsky's life are a heartbreaking chronicle of desperation and friendship. Despite a frantic, round-the-clock effort by those closest to him, the promising young man slipped away.

More than a week has passed since the news of Daniel Naroditsky's sudden death at 29 sent shockwaves through the global chess community. Since then, tributes have poured in from around the world, including from some of the game's most iconic figures.

Danya's Final Stream: A Haunting Clue

The fact that Naroditsky died suddenly only three weeks before his 30th birthday has highlighted the controversial anti-cheating campaign being waged by Russian chess great Vladimir Kramnik.

The American Grandmaster, widely known as 'Danya', was among those whom Kramnik had accused of cheating for more than a year, and he had previously spoken about how the claims had affected him.

Naroditsky's passing has simultaneously drawn attention to his health near the end of his life, especially as the 29-year-old looked clearly unwell during his final Twitch stream just two days before he died.

While playing his online chess during the broadcast, the blitz master looked muddled and nearly asleep, and even referred to the accusations Kramnik had levelled against him.

Voices Heard During 'Danya's' Final Stream

Peter Giannatos, the founder of the Charlotte Chess Center (where Stanford graduate Naroditsky worked as a coach), and GM Oleksandr Bortnyk were present at his flat during the live stream. While they did not show their faces, they could be heard talking to him during the session, which lasted more than 120 minutes.

Concerned about their close friend's physical and mental state, Giannatos and Bortnyk pleaded with him repeatedly to sign off and go to bed. Giannatos even threatened to pull the plug on his computer setup. At a certain point in the broadcast, Giannatos could be heard pleading, 'You've gotta go to sleep, man'.

Naroditsky answered, 'I know, just give me a few more games and I'll go to sleep. I set a 2 a.m. curfew; what's the matter?' Following that exchange, Giannatos asked Naroditsky about his schedule, and the latter simply said he planned to fit in a few more matches before finishing for the night, The Mirror reported.

The Anti-Cheating Crusade's Human Cost

Further into the session, Naroditsky mentioned the accusations of foul play and discussed how Kramnik's public targeting had damaged his image for good.

'The problem is, since the Kramnik stuff, I feel like if I start doing well, people assume the worst of intentions', Naroditsky remarked in the stream. Giannatos comforted him by saying, 'You don't have to prove anything to those people'.

In an unfortunate twist, Giannatos and Bortnyk were the people who discovered him. They had become increasingly anxious when their close friend didn't respond to their calls, prompting them to visit his residence on Sunday, where they found him unconscious on the sofa.

As the chess world grieves the passing of the once-prodigious talent, much of the community's fury has also been aimed at Russian legend Kramnik. Prominent figures, including Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Arjun Erigaisi, have publicly criticised his contentious crusade against foul play.

The Lawsuit Counter-Punch: Threats and Defence

The outrage surrounding Kramnik's unproven claims — allegations for which he offered no evidence — has forced FIDE to address the issue directly.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich has since forwarded the matter to the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission, where the Russian GM's statements will be independently reviewed. If found guilty, Kramnik faces potential sanctions ranging from a financial fine to a lifetime ban.

In a clear sign of community outrage, an online petition surfaced on social media explicitly calling for FIDE to revoke Kramnik's Grandmaster title and norms, rapidly accumulating more than 35,000 signatures by Sunday.

Kramnik has responded to the criticism by alleging that his family is receiving threats due to an anti-cheating campaign spurred by his anti-cheating work. He has simultaneously threatened to take legal action against leading players who have publicly linked him to Naroditsky's death.